Report: Facebook Posts Casting Doubt On Alleged War Crimes Shared 208,000 times In One Week

Facebook has had a bad few months when it comes to containing the spread of misinformation. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has tested the social media giant’s ability to limit bad actors like never before, and according to a report released this week from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, the company still has its work cut out for it. In that report, it was revealed that posts questioning the validity of alleged war crimes in the Bucha region of Ukraine were shared 208,000 times in one week alone.

According to the experts behind the study, many of these posts originated with accounts already known for spreading misinformation. In other words, Facebook should have fixed this problem by now.

“It’s concerning that in the aftermath of the massacre, the most shared posts on Facebook are those casting doubt on the veracity of the images,” Francesca Visser, an analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, told The Guardian. “It’s also concerning that posts coming from platforms and bloggers known for spreading false and misleading narratives are outperforming verified information.”




Recommended Resources

bitdefender The Choice of Tech Experts Worldwide. Try 90 days free of Bitdefender and experience the highest level of digital safety.

PIA Surf the web truly incognito. Try Bitdefender Premium VPN, the ultra-fast VPN that keeps your online identity and activities safe from hackers, ISPs and snoops.

System Mechanic 14 – Make your computer run like new. Winner of 200+ Editor’s Choice awards!

For its part, Facebook pushed back through a spokesperson, saying that the report “relies on a small sample size and misrepresents the scale and scope” of the company’s efforts to fight misinformation related to the war in Ukraine. However, even the company itself would admit it isn’t perfect, and this is just stark proof of that fact.

 

Lawmakers Slam Facebook For A “Lack Of Progress” Over Spanish-Language Disinformation Previous post Lawmakers Slam Facebook For A “Lack Of Progress” Over Spanish-Language Disinformation Gun Shop Owner Claims He Was Censored By Facebook Next post Gun Shop Owner Claims He Was Censored By Facebook